The present disclosure relates to a vehicle manipulation detecting device.
Conventionally, various types of vehicle manipulation detecting devices have been proposed. For example, a vehicle manipulation detecting device described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2006-213206 detects approach (manipulation) of a person to a window glass of a vehicle by detecting a change in capacitance by means of a transparent electrode arranged in the window glass.
A glass sensor employable as a vehicle manipulation detecting device described in International Publication No. 01/022378 detects approach of an object (a person) to a window glass (a double glass or a laminated glass) by detecting a change in capacitance by means of a transparent electrode layer (a detecting electrode layer) that is formed in the outer one of the two glasses that configure the window glass. Particularly, the document proposes forming a transparent electrode layer (a shield electrode layer) in the inner one of the two glasses to prevent detection of approach of an object (a person) to the window glass from inside of the passenger compartment. In this manner, detection is enabled only for approach of an object (a person) to the window glass from outside of the passenger compartment.
In the vehicle manipulation detecting device described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2006-213206, the transparent electrode basically exhibits the same detection sensitivity inside and outside of the passenger compartment of the vehicle. Typically, detection outside of the passenger compartment of a vehicle tends to be influenced by the environment and disturbance as compared to detection inside of the passenger compartment. It is thus demanded that the detection sensitivity of the transparent electrode be set high for detection outside of the passenger compartment. In this case, the transparent electrode exhibits excessively high detection sensitivity inside of the passenger compartment. Inside of the passenger compartment, a seated occupant is located significantly close to the window glass. Therefore, a phenomenon that should not be detected, for example, leaning of the seated occupant against the door of the vehicle, may be detected as approach (manipulation) of a person to the window glass. This may cause erroneous detection of a manipulation by a person with respect to the window glass from inside of the passenger compartment.
Also, the glass sensor described in International Publication No. 01/022378 cannot detect approach of an object (a person), or manipulation by a person, with respect to the window glass from inside of the passenger compartment. The usability of the glass sensor is thus low.